In January of 2008 My husband and I came to Chris Maher in the midst of facing some trials in our lives. We found Chris Maher, founder and owner of FALLS CHURH MOTORS, on www.craigslist.org. He placed and ad for another RIP OFF business he and some other associates own, one of them being STEVE TOWNSEND. Apparently they own several business where they are able to take from others what is left of what they have and leave them pennyless and homeless.
BEWARE OF: Falls Church Motors, Tracker Finance (their so-called in house financing) Crosspointe Trustees, Dominion Equity to name a few... who know's how many more so-called companies these men have...
Well, as I said we came to CHRIS MAHER for help because we needed a place to live. We had already found Falls Church Motors in the internet under "Buy Here, Pay here search but didn't put two and two together until we met him.
Chris Maher told my husband and I to meet him at IHOP for breakfast and told us to bring the whole family. So we did.
Chris told us he had a house for $2000/mo, we asked if he had something less expensive, and he told us yes but that we needed something bigger in order to accomidate our family. Then Chris brought us to Falls Church Motors and put us into 2 vehicles. A 2001 Dodge Minivan Sport with 132,929 miles on it, in poor condition. Half of the dash lights didn't work, we took it to an automotive dealership and they said in order to find the problem it would cost a minimum of $100. The CD player does not work either. He also put us in a 1993 Oldsmobile 88 Royal with 111,837 miles on it, and it smelled horrible of cigarette smoke and paint was pealing and worn paint, the radio and cassette player didn't/don't work, a broken seatbelt. We kept telling him there were other cars on the lot that we would prefer and he would not let us choose our vehicles, he said we didn't need an SUV or anything else. We asked for only one and he insisted on 2 vehicles and sold us his sons vehicle which was unfit to sell! It wasn't on his inventory.
Well, as soon as we got in the van, Chris Maher told us that the van may smoke a little bit as there was a small crack in the distributer cap but not to worry about it. He also wouldn't let us purchase the warrenty on the vehicles as he told us it wasn't necessary.
Well, 2 months later we starting have problems with both vehicles. We sent Chris, Tracker Finance and a few others in Tracker finance, Lori and Lisa making them aware of the problems with the cars. Chris Maher called my husband and said he was offended because he thought we were accusing him of selling lemon vehicles... WELL... is he???
As my husband was driving down 66 parts started flying off of the Oldsmobile. He went to work and checked in the engine and thought there was a problem with the air condition pulley. He got home and the next day the car wouldn't start. My husband found a broken belt in addition. So he went and purchased a belt and replaced it and when he went to start the Oldsmobile, he heard a loud clunk and got out of the car and looked in the engine compartment and then under the car to find that the ac compresser pulley ripped completely off the car leaving electrical wires hanging down, fully exposed! This could have caused a FIRE! The part was COMPLETELY RUSTED! We told Chris that he either needed to come get the car and fix it or get the car and give us our money back. He came and got the car, and then put and INVOLUNTARY REPO against our credit stating we refused to pay... We were CURRENT on ALL of our payments. Now, he said he will reverse the repo but we have to pay him $1432 to pay for the NEW PAINT, because he couldn't sell it with the bad paint condition, BUT HE SOLD IT TO US IN THAT CONDITION! 5 back payments for when we didn't have the car, plus lated fees, tow and repairs! Knowing full and well we can't do that. We have offered NUMEROUS other ways to work the situation out and he refuses to work with us in anyway, he is not answering our questions or anything else.
In the mean time...now I was having to drive my daughter to and from work in Chantilly VA and then drive my husband to work and back in Tysons Corner VA when we live in Gainesville, VA. 8 trips a day... Well, of course we were leaving several messages and sending multiple emails and continue to in regards to the condition of the cars...and they refuse to answer our questions, work with us on anything and we have give Chris EVERY penny we have since January!
Then on the Dodge minivan I was driving down 66 at highway speed and I went to break and the peddles went to the floor and the breaks didn't work! THE CALIPER BLEW! I had my whole family in the car! 3 small children 15 mo, 5 and 10! That cost us $640 to partially rapair the van, $1200 to fix totally, then the van began to over heat badly! The estimate on that is now $1500 and shortly following that the window bracket broke that is going to be another $500 or more! We have only owned these vehicles since January! I don't care how many miles you put on a used vehicle, there should not be this many problems! When we confronted Chris on the HORRIBLE condition of these vehicles, he accused us of accusing him and FALLS CHURCH MOTORS of selling LEMON vehicles! I think they are! HOW IS THIS MAN STILL IN BUSINESS?? Using CHRISTIANITY TO RIP PEOPLE OFF WHO ARE TRULY IN NEED!!!
Our last encounter with Chris Maher/Tracker Finance/Falls Church Motors, was today, Aug 17, 2008. We, after countless efforts to handle things cordially, we told him that it would be in his best interest to answer our questions immediately, he accused us of blackmaling him...and in the same email he told us that "we need to move out of the house he is renting to us by September 1, 2008 and then he is sure Tracker Finance will work with us" Sounds to me like we are the ones not only being taken advantage of, and blackmaled. NOW we could be facing an EVICTION! IS THERE NO END TO THIS INSANITY??? We told Chris Maher of FALLS CHURCH MOTORS we lost our second income and we can't afford his $2000 for rent, the $400/mo for the van, $1432 up front to get the car back and reverse the repo + $260/mo for the Oldsmobile, plus and ALL THE REPAIRS on these 2 vehicles! And they refuse to work with us, they refuse to make things right and they refuse to answer our questions and emails and refuse to give us our money back. Our new repair cost on the van is: $600 for the door, $1,500 for a new radiator, hoses, thermostat etc., and have already paid $640 for partial break/roter/caliper work on the van and we have only owned the van since mid January 2008
FALLS CHURCH MOTORS has invalid/illegal contracts...He is reporting that we are paying more money to him a month than we are actually paying! We have the proof on our credit report and receipts.
kelly blue book on the '93 Oldsmobile is $2,130 111,877 miles, if in perfect condition, new like condition, never needed paint, fully reconditioned, clean title and the sales price will likely be less. He sold us the Oldsmobile in horrible condition inside and out as stated above for $3,995 & at pay off 39 payments of $130 Bi-weekly and 1 final of $89 total purchase price will be $4545.80 WAY ABOVE kbb.com! In addition he is demanding another $1432 for this car!
2001 Dodge Minivan Sport, bottom, base model, 132,929 miles in perfect condition Kelly blue book on this is $5,695. He sold it to us in horrible condition for $8,850 (we also gave him $1,500 towards the van one week later)which brought the van total to $7,350 with the end price, after 47 payments of $200 Bi-weekly and 1 payment of $34.22 for a total purchase price of $8,105.27 + $1500 = $9,627 when the car is only worth $5,695 IF IT WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION! HOW IS THIS LEGAL?
Since January 2008-July 17, 2008 We have give Chris Maher, Falls Church Motors and Crosspointe Trustees $18,080.00 for rent and 2 BROKEN vehicles that are not only UNFIT FOR THE ROAD, but UNSAFE FOR CHILDREN TO RIDE IN! And a FALSE INVOLUNTARY REPO against our credit! We have no money left, we have to move out of our home with three small children with more damage to our credit which in turn will make it VERY DIFFICULT for us to find another home or vehicle!
IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO CAN HELP US! SO THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS TO BE TAKEN FOR ALL THEY HAVE!!!!
Linda
Gainesville, Virginia
U.S.A.